The prior art does relate to water containing play toys that permit some interaction. Miller et al. U.S. Pat. No. D 186,778 shows a design for an oval shaped water trough on legs apparently for the use of playing with toy boats. Wolfe U.S. Pat. No. 3,302,949 describes a knock-down toy waterway for playground use. Small children can ride in small boats along this artificial waterway. Poehlman, U.S. Pat. No. 1,014,975 teaches a hydrostatic toy which models mountainous terrain bisected by a canal with locks permitting toy ships to be raised from the level of one ocean into the long central area and then lowered through the locks to the other ocean. This invention of Poehlman bears several of the features of the Panama Canal and permits children to add and withdraw water from the canal locks by raising or lowering hidden tanks connected to the locks via a flexible hose. Lock gates are also opened and closed by the user.
The prior art does not provide a Panama Canal model which clearly indicates the water levels in different parts of the model. Also lacking is a competitive aspect which transforms the model into a game.